Hello Friends,

I have so many things that use USB for power that I have quite a collection of USB chargers.  I have installed some right into my electrical outlets and just counted six USB and USB - C charging outlets on my desk.  Apple is moving rapidly to USB - C and many others are following such as Sonos with the new Roam speaker.   Apple introduced new Magic Mouse, Magic Keyboard and Magic Trackpads this week and, aside from the Touch ID incorporated into some of the keyboards, the inclusion of a USB-C to Lightning cable instead of USB to Lightning cable is the big difference.

It has been a great year for blueberries and surprisingly I am still grazing and eating them by the handful even though we consciously share them with the robins that live with us on our small part of the Green Mountains.

Back to school is in full swing and I really hope that localities can shoo politics out of the return to school and protect our children with vaccines and masks.  If we do not defeat this virus with common sense practices- wash, mask, distance and vaccinate, it will continue to mutate and try new ways to kill us!

Picking the Best Mac for a College-Bound Student

Do you have a one of your babies heading off to college soon? As you.know from the  high school experience,  a computer is essential for a college student. If you haven’t been paying close attention to Apple’s Mac lineup, you might wonder which model makes the most sense.

First, don’t buy anything without first checking with the college. Many college departments have specific requirements based on the software that students have to use in their classes. Generally, these revolve around processor type, amount of RAM, and storage space. Luckily, current Macs should meet these requirements.

Colleges often specify—and students usually prefer—laptops instead of desktop machines. Although the iMac is an excellent machine with a gorgeous screen, it’s too big and unwieldy for the transient lifestyle of the typical college student. The same is true of a Mac mini and external display. A laptop is much easier to pack during moves, and it can travel to class every day. A student who’s accustomed to taking notes on an iPad with a Smart Keyboard and Apple Pencil might be able to use that along with a desktop Mac, but most people should focus on Apple’s laptops.

In the past, it was harder to decide which model was best for a given student, but with Apple’s move to the M1 chip, which significantly outperforms the Intel processors used in previous models, the decision is easier. We see three primary scenarios:

• Most students: Buy Apple’s M1-based MacBook Air. It’s Apple’s smallest, lightest, and least expensive laptop, but thanks to its M1 processor, it has nearly identical performance to the heavier and more costly M1-based MacBook Pro. It also has the same lovely 13.3-inch Retina display. It starts at $999.
• Slightly better specs: If cost is not the biggest concern, the M1-based MacBook Pro offers just a bit more performance due to fans that keep its M1 chip cool. It also has a Touch Bar (which some people like, but others don’t), somewhat longer battery life, and nominally better speakers and microphones. It starts at $1299.
• Windows compatibility: The only reason to buy an older Intel-based MacBook Pro— available in either 13.3-inch ($1799) and 16-inch ($2399) models—is if Windows compatibility is essential. All Intel-based Macs can run Windows with no problems, either by restarting in Apple’s Boot Camp or using virtualization software like VMware Fusion (free for students) or Parallels Desktop. (On M1-based Macs, it’s possible to run Parallels Desktop and Windows for ARM Insider Preview, but we can’t recommend that anyone rely on that combination yet.):
• On a budget?: Buying a used or refurbished Mac from Small Dog Electronics can save you some bucks, too.  You might be able to get better specs - i.e. more ram or faster processor if you consider a used Mac!

Regardless of which laptop you decide on, you’ll have to pick a processor, an amount of RAM, and storage capacity:

• Processor: With the M1-based MacBook Air, you have a choice between two CPUs that are identical apart from one having a 7-core GPU and the other an 8-core GPU. No one is likely to notice the difference for everyday software, but the price difference is only $50 if you’re also getting at least 512 GB of storage. (The M1-based MacBook Pro offers only the 8-core GPU chip.) For Intel-based Mac laptops, there are various options based on clock speed and number of cores. They’re all fine, but you pay for performance, so buy what fits your budget and needs.
• RAM: With the M1-based Macs, you can choose between 8 GB and 16 GB of RAM. 8 GB may be acceptable, but we recommend 16 GB. Intel-based Mac laptops start at 16 GB, which is a decent base level, and you can go up to 32 GB or 64 GB (16-inch only). Generally speaking, go beyond 16 GB only if you know you need it.
• Storage: For the M1-based Macs, 256 GB is the lowest storage level, whereas the Intel-based Macs usually start higher. Either way, you can upgrade to a maximum of 2 TB. Choose the amount of storage based on budget and anticipated usage—video takes a lot of space, as can large numbers of photos, but most other uses don’t.

To our thinking, the most obvious choice for a Mac that’s likely to last for four years of college would be the M1-based MacBook Air with the 8-core GPU, 16 GB of RAM, and 512 GB of storage. Be sure to budget for AppleCare+, too; it’s almost guaranteed that some mishap will befall a student laptop, and AppleCare+ covers up to two incidents of accidental damage every year. We have said it time and time again - almost ANY repair to your student's laptop will cost more than AppleCare + and with accidental damage coverage it is a very smart investment.  Having bought Macs for my kids and grandkids, I know for a fact that AppleCare + is essential!

You’ll need to have some conversations with your child to find out what they think they’ll need—and be sure to double-check that against the college’s recommendations—but if you have any questions after that, don’t hesitate to contact us.

(Featured image by Apple

The Mac’s Magic Shortcut to Trashing Files and Photos Quickly

Sure, you could select a file in the Finder and choose File > Move to Trash or drag it to the Trash in the Dock. Similarly, you can trash selected photos in Apple’s Photos app by choosing Image > Delete X Photos, or by pressing the Delete key, but both of those methods result in a dialog asking if you’re sure. The easiest way of trashing a file in the Finder or a picture in Photos is to select it and press Command-Delete. Poof, it’s in the Trash (Finder) or Recently Deleted album (Photos), with no extra effort or prompts! And if you accidentally trash the wrong thing, just press Command-Z to restore it. Keep this key combination in mind for other apps too, since they may also support it as a shortcut for “delete without prompting.”

(Featured image by iStock.com/YurolaitsAlbert)

This is our first real trip during the pandemic but we feel confident with our masks, vaccinations and common sense.  It is nothing compared to the journey my daughter, Autumn is taking with her husband Ismael and the grandkids, Gracie and Khadija.  They are off on a journey to Guinea where they will become acquainted with the vast Bangoura side of their family in Africa.

Aside from the Cubs we are going to a comedy show and some museums and we plan to gain some pounds by eating all of our favorite Chicago foods!

Thanks for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!


Your Kibbles & Team,

Don and Emily